Clothespin



mm m u Em WEW Filed June 20, 1947 Inventor Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in clothes pins, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described, which may be conveniently and effectively employed for firmly and securely retaining the clothes on the clothes line.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes pin which may be quickly and easily applied and removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes pin which is simple in construction, which will not easily become damaged, and which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which, in addition to its primary use as a clothes pin, may also be effectively employed for a variety of other uses, such as for example, as a clamp, a paper clip, or the like.

With the above more important objects in View and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an end view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in a plane of the line 33 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an elevational view oi. the invention, showing the same in position on a clothes line.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a clothes pin designated generally by the reference character it, the same embodying in its construction a pair of complementary, substantially semi-cylindrical sections II, the lateral surface of which may be crowned as is best shown in Figures 2 and 4.

The opposing fiat surfaces I2 of the sections l l are normally in contact and the adjacent longitudinal edge portions at one side of the sections constitute what may be called a fulcrum, indicated at It.

A pair of coacting handles l4 are secured or formed integrally with the sections II, the handles [4 being normally disposed in a divergent relation when the surfaces I2 of the sections I I are in contact.

Means are provided for normally retaining the sections in this contacting position, said means consisting of a pair of arcuate leaf springs 15 which are positioned in suitable, circumferentially extending grooves it provided in the end portions of the sections, as will be clearly apparent.

In order to accommodate the clothes line I! (and the clothes positioned thereon) the sections H are provided in the surfaces l2 thereof with longitudinally extending channels l8 which define a substantially cylindrical bore l9 when the sections are in contact. Furthermore, the channels l8 may be so shaped as to provide a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs 20 in the bore 19, for the purpose of firmly and securely gripping the clothes line.

It will be found that the clothes pin. may be opened by simply pressing the handles I4 together as indicated by the phantom lines 2|, during which action the sections I I will be retracted or spread apart against the resiliency of the springs l5, as indicated at 22. Needless to say, the inherent resiliency of the springs will automatically return the sections to their contacting position, as soon as pressure upon the handles I4 is relaxed.

It should be also pointed out that while two of the springs I5 are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, only one of the springs may be provided, the same being disposed in a suitable groove (not shown) formed medially the length of the two sections, that is to say, substantially where indicated by the lines 23. In such event, the single spring should extend through the handles l4, as will be clearly apparent.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, a further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

In a clothes pin, the combination of a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical gripping jaws having flat surfaces adapted for abutting engagement, longitudinal edges of said jaws at one side of said surfaces being in contact and constituting a fulcrum, a pair of coacting handles provided on said jaws at the sides of said fulcrum and extending outwardly therefrom, end portions of said'jaws being formed with circumferentially extending grooves having closed ends located in a substantial diametrical opposition to said fulcrum, and resilient bands removably positioned REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 827,000 'Dinamore July 24, 1906 862,745 Marshall Aug. 6, 1907 2,087,604 Mosher July 20, 1937 2,158,592 Robbins May 16, 1939 

